Mike Hailwood

**Imola Duke** · 13 Nov 07, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Imola Duke

Hey Steve, you know me so well. LOL Mike the Bike .. have you seen his statue at Mallory ?

No Steve but I was there for his comeback years.....
The sight and sound of him blowing away Phil Read on the works Honda on the exit from the Creg will live we me forever.......
He looked sooo smooth almost slow. But he made the 810cc works Honda with Read on board look like he was going backwards and Phil Read was no slouch around the TT course!

Steve
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Always room for one more Duke

Steve......... I was 12 years old when Dad took me to Mallory for the post TT race 1978....... I watched Mike beat Read...my memory was,, how the place erupted with roars and cheers.....So many people there..i spent that race on my Dads shoulders just to see.........Brilliant

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Got Air on the Mountin #81

Heres a couple for you boys thinking of the 'good old days!!'

Wasnt about to see for real but ive seen the pics and history, a great English Genlteman and real Champion!

Attached Thumbnails:

I was there too. I was 19 at the time and went to the race with the young lady destined to become the present Mrs H. We stood on the bank between the hairpin and Devil's Elbow so we could see pretty much all of the track. You're spot on Imola, it was brilliant!

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Modern Day Robin Hood

I have never seen so many grown men with tears in their eye's........... That day i will never forget......
I know i was too young to remember him in his younger days.. but i still think it was awesome what he did that year......

These posts were posted in a different thread (which was a little off topic......

Because of post's about the late great Mike Hailwood.. I thought it would be good to hear about members who watched him race.....I'm a big fan but was a little too young to remember his race's pre 1978.

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**Ghost** · 13 Nov 07, 08:42 PM

I recall the paddock at Mallory in the sixties and Hailwood and Ivy and Read got their mounts out of the backs of Transit vans no ego's and barriers then. Still recall those days like yesterday.

Phil

**diamondbrit73** · 13 Nov 07, 08:45 PM

The official Mike Hailwood web site

Check this out for loads of good pics and history.

**cooleronthecoast** · 13 Nov 07, 08:57 PM

SMB Hailwood was the greatest bike pilot I ever saw, he made riding a motorcycle at speed look ridiculously easy. I can only go back to the sixties for my personal recollections so apologies to those brilliant riders from earlier eras, but Mike the bike gets my vote for best racing motorcyclist of all time.

**bremalynchance** · 13 Nov 07, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diamondbrit73

The official Mike Hailwood web site

Check this out for loads of good pics and history.

Thanks for posting the link.

My father told me when I was a small boy that Mike the Bike was a special guy. His website proves just that and makes me feel proud to be british

Such a sad loss of the greatest motorcyclist who just happened to be a great man too.

Respect

**stevel** · 13 Nov 07, 09:18 PM

I was at mallory in 78......but I'm afraid the memory is a bit faded now and I don't recall much about it other than a sense of it being a great event! I found some old pics of Bazza, which I'm sure were from the same event.....can anyone else recall whether he was there? Will scan and post em if any use. Great memories of drooling over various duc's inc Mike the Bike's at Sports Motorcycles in the late 70's, think that's when the mould was set

**Imola Duke** · 13 Nov 07, 09:26 PM

I can't remember either Stevel........even at the time i was a huge Bazza fan

I think john cooper was in the race ?
If my memory is correct did Mike pass two riders on the last lap (read being one of them) ?

**rockerted** · 13 Nov 07, 09:57 PM

was lucky enough (and old enough)!! to see SMB in the island when he did the 100.60 average on an ecurie sportive norton, also met him when we went for a practce day at brands, he asked me to drop our van back a bit as his handbrake cable had snapped on his jag,can vouch for his down to earth demeanor even with his position in the bike world..as has been said, a real toff, i wanted to name my son stanley micheal bailey, she said no, but i got his initials to S.M.WELLS!!

as Stanley Woods said..TOPS.

**Kenoir** · 14 Nov 07, 09:48 AM

I didn't get to see Mike race unfortunately. I wish I could have.

But I thought you'd like to see the machine again. It's looking lovely in the Ducati museum (needs a little air in the front tyre though).

The things that set racers from that era apart from todays boys is the ingenuity. Non of your tear off visors in those days! Just a damp tennis ball screwed to the inside of the windscreen to wipe the dead flies off.

MotoGP clocks?..... nah! Who needs 'em

Fancy graphics?..... nah! Hand written 'off' info

Men were men back in the day!

**MarkST** · 14 Nov 07, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenoir

I didn't get to see Mike race unfortunately. I wish I could have.

But I thought you'd like to see the machine again. It's looking lovely in the Ducati museum (needs a little air in the front tyre though).

Great shots Kenoir, I did'nt realize NCR have such a history behind them !!

**Ghost** · 14 Nov 07, 10:37 AM

That tennis ball is just a novel ashtray.

Phil

**weeveetwin** · 14 Nov 07, 11:16 AM

I was there on the IOM for Hailwood's TT comeback - but again, my memories are fairly sketchy. Ducati were only my second-favourite in those days, since my allegiance was really with Laverda. (Laverda were winning all the proddy championships at the time with the Jota). All the same, his performance was well impressive. He surprised quite a few that year - me included.

(Was that the same year the Honda team wore all-black leathers in protest over something? If not, I was there then too. Maybe 1981..?)

**NedLudd** · 14 Nov 07, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenoir

But I thought you'd like to see the machine again. It's looking lovely in the Ducati museum (needs a little air in the front tyre though).

Wonderful shots Kenoir - thank you.

**Mr.R** · 14 Nov 07, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imola Duke

I can't remember either Stevel........even at the time i was a huge Bazza fan

I think john cooper was in the race ?
If my memory is correct did Mike pass two riders on the last lap (read being one of them) ?

John 'Mooneyes' Cooper had retired from racing before "78, I was a fan of his, I still own a 1950's TT Low Crown pudding basin helmet in red with mooneyes on it. I still wear it on sunny days, because of this I've become known locally as the 'Crazy Frog'......
Coops claim to fame at Mallory was when he beat Ago on his works 500 MV, riding his works BSA Rocket Three in (I think) the race of the year in the early "70's.
I was 21 when I watched Mike The Bike in his TT comeback, it was my 4th trip to the Island. The next year I was there again riding my 900ss, which I still own today and hope to take to next years TT, I've already booked my ferry and accomadation.......
It's the 30th anniversery of SMB's return, hopefully they'll be lots of bevels, MHR's etc in attendance.
I hope to win best bevel at the DOC GB International get together at Glen Maye on mad sunday!
I won best belt drive (camshaft) Ducati with my 851/916sp special this year.

Steve

**Ghost** · 14 Nov 07, 06:53 PM

I was at Mallory earlier this year when Ago and John Cooper did a staged re-enactment of the race of the year Those MV's still sound good.

Phil